•Iyorchia Ayu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in a fix over the choice of its next national chairman.
The protracted leadership crisis that has hit the platform may continue to linger until the fate of its suspended National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, is determined, reports The Nation.
Although pressure is mounting on Ayu to resign as a matter of sacrifice and withdraw his court case, he has kept the party in suspense.
However, ahead of the April 18 meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), members are faced with two options should Ayu remain adamant.
The options are to allow the Deputy National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum from Yobe State (Northeast) to continue as acting National Chairman or to pick one of the national chairmanship aspirants from the Northcentral in an acting capacity.
Those nursing national chairmanship ambitions from the Northcentral are Senator Gabriel Suswam and Dr. Emmanuel Agbo (Benue State), and Ex-Minister Humphrey Aba (Kogi State).
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has told the Northcentral Caucus of the PDP that he was not interested.
Saraki’s media adviser Yusuph Olaniyonu confirmed last night that the former Senate President would not run for part chair.
The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Minister Nyesom Wike will renew their rivalry at the NEC meeting.
Wike’s camp plotted the ouster of Ayu on March 28, 2023, which led to the emergence of Damagum.
But Atiku’s camp has been in and out of court to regain control of the PDP.
Sources said despite the high stakes ahead of the NEC meeting, PDP may be unable to get a substantive chairman because of Ayu’s undecided fate.
A source said: “There is too much tension ahead of the forthcoming NEC meeting, but it is a storm in a teacup because Ayu still holds the ace.
“So, Ayu is keeping the party in suspense. He can only pave the way for a permanent solution to the PDP leadership crisis by either resigning as the National Chairman or withdrawing the case in court on his suspension by the party.
“Some leaders are mounting pressure on Ayu to ‘sacrifice’ his interest for the survival of the party.
“We are yet to know what Ayu intends to do.”
Also, a top party official said: “Without resolving the logjam on Ayu, the party cannot pick a substantive national chairman.
“If PDP goes ahead to appoint a substantive chairman, it will sink deeper into crisis because of the attendant series of litigations.
“Constitutionally, there is no vacancy in the office of the National Chairman of PDP because Ayu is only on suspension.
“Alternatively, the leaders of the party can enter into an agreement with Ayu by lifting his suspension and simultaneously asking him to resign.”
According to the sources, PDP leaders have been weighing the two options ahead of the NEC meeting.
The alternatives are to ask Damagum to continue to act as the National Chairman or to pick one of the aspirants from the Northcentral as acting National Chairman.
It was learnt that most leaders, including Atiku, were of the opinion that Damagum had overstayed as the Acting National Chairman.
Some leaders are said to be angry that Damagum has been pandering to the whims and caprices of the Wike camp.
While Wike’s camp has been insisting on Damagum, Atiku’s camp wanted a clean slate.
Another source said: “If Ayu is adamant, the NEC will have no choice but to appoint a new Acting National Chairman to maintain some calmness.
“Some leaders have been asking the party to follow its tradition of replacing any officer with a candidate from the same geo-political zone.
“They claimed that since Ayu is from the Northcentral, any acting National Chairman should be from the Northcentral.
“It is left to NEC to accept or reject the Doctrine of Precedent, which is being promoted by pro-Atiku elements.
“If the NEC endorses the proposal to pick a new Acting National Chairman from the Northcentral, Damagum from the Northeast will step down and revert to his status as the Deputy National Chairman of PDP.
“But Wike’s camp may not accede to the emergency invocation of the Doctrine of Precedent. There is ongoing intense lobbying of NEC members by all the camps.”
Apart from Suswam, Agbo (Benue State) and Ex-Minister Aba (Kogi State), there were strong indications that more aspirants would join the race.
Another source said: “The former President of the Senate has informed the Northcentral caucus of the party that he is not interested in the chairmanship of the party now.
“Don’t forget that whoever is picked or appointed as the Acting Chairman will only complete Ayu’s tenure, which will end in October 2025.
“The short tenure makes it unattractive to most PDP leaders.”
The PDP Northcentral caucus, led by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, has insisted that the slot should be retained in the zone.
However, PDP stakeholders in Niger State are arguing that it is the only state in the Northcentral that has not produced a national chairman.
There are two aspirants from Niger State.
